Chapter XV.

He briefly takes up again the same points of dispute, and shrewdly concludes from the unity of the divine power in the Father and the Son, that whatever is said of the subjection of the Son is to be referred to His humanity alone. He further confirms this on proof of the love, which exists alike in either.

182. Let us then shortly sum up our conclusion on the whole matter. A unity of power puts aside all idea of a degrading subjection. His giving up of power, and His victory as conqueror won over death, have not lessened His power. Obedience works out subjection. Christ has taken obedience upon Himself, obedience even to taking on Him our flesh, the cross even to gaining our salvation. Thus where the work lies, there too is the Author of the work. When therefore, all things have become subject to Christ, through Christ’s obedience, so that all bend their knees in His name, then He Himself will be all in all. For now, since all do not believe, all do not seem to be in subjection. But when all have believed and done the will of God, then Christ will be all and in all. And when Christ is all and in all, then will God be all and in all; for the Father abides ever in the Son. How, then, is He shown to be weak, Who redeemed the weak?

183. And lest thou shouldst by chance attribute to the weakness of the Son, that it is written, that God hath put all things in subjection under Him; learn that He has Himself brought all things into subjection to Himself, for it is written: “Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus, Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body according to the working, whereby He is able to subdue all things unto Himself.”1097    Phil. iii. 20, 21. Thou has learnt, therefore, that He can subdue all things unto Himself according to the working of His Godhead.

184. Learn now how He receives all things in subjection according to the flesh, as it is written: “Who wrought in Christ, raising Him from the dead, and setting Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, above principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under His feet.”1098    Eph. i. 20, 21. According to the flesh then all things are given to Him in subjection; according to which also He was raised from the dead, both in His human soul and His rational subjection.

185. Many nobly interpret that which is written: “Truly my soul will be in subjection to God;”1099    Ps. lxii. 1. He said soul not Godhead, soul not glory. And that we might know that the Lord has spoken through the prophet of the adoption of our human nature, He added: “How long will ye cast yourselves upon a man?”1100    Ps. lxii. 3. As also He says in the Gospel: “Why do ye seek to kill Me, a man?”1101    S. John viii. 40. And He added again: “Nevertheless they desired to refuse My price, they ran in thirst, they blessed with their mouth, and cursed with their heart.”1102    Ps. lxii. 4. For the Jews, when Judas brought back the price,1103    S. Matt. xxvii. 4. would not receive it, running on in the thirst of madness, for they refused the grace of a spiritual draught.

186. This is the reverent interpretation of subjection, for since this is the office of the Lord’s Passion, He will be subject in us in that in which He suffered. Do we ask wherefore? That “neither angels, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor things present, nor things to come, nor any other creature may separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.”1104    Rom. viii. 38, 39. We see then, from what has been said, that no creature is excepted; but that every one, of whatever kind it may be, is enumerated among those he mentioned above.

187. At the same time, we must also think of the words which, after first saying “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”1105    Rom. viii. 35. he wrote next: “Neither death, nor life, nor any other creature can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.” We see, then, that the love of God is the same as the love of Christ. Thus it was not without reason that he wrote of the love of God, “which is in Christ Jesus,” lest otherwise thou mightest imagine that the love of God and of Christ was divided. But there is nothing that love divides, nothing that the eternal Godhead cannot do, nothing that is unknown to the Truth, or deceives Justice, or escapes the notice of Wisdom.

CAPUT XV.

Superius disputata strictim resumit, ex unitate divinae potestatis in Patre ac Filio quaecumque de Filii subjectione dicuntur, ad solam referenda humanitatem scite colligens: quod praeterea ex charitate, quae eadem utriusque est, confirmat.

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183. Conclusionem igitur totius absolutionis breviter colligamus. Unitas potestatis opinionem injuriosae subjectionis excludit: evacuatio 584 potestatum, et victoria de morte quaesita, triumphatoris utique non minuit potestatem: subjectionem operatur obedientia, obedientiam Christus assumpsit, obedientia usque ad crucem, crux ad salutem. Ergo ubi opus, ibi et auctor est operis. Cum igitur omnia Christo subjecta fuerint per obedientiam Christi, ut 0685D in nomine ejus omnes genu flectant, tunc erit ipse omnia in omnibus; nunc enim, quia non omnes credunt, non videntur omnes esse subjecti. Cum omnes ergo crediderint, et Dei fecerint voluntatem, erit omnia et in omnibus Christus: cum Christus fuerit omnia et in omnibus, erit omnia et in omnibus Deus; quia Pater manet semper in Filio. Quomodo ergo infirmitatis arguitur, qui redemit infirmos?

184. Ac ne forte et illud ad infirmitatem Filii referas, 0686A quod scriptum est quia subjecit ei Deus omnia; disce quod omnia sibi etiam ipse subjecerit; scriptum est enim: Nostra autem conversatio in coelis est; unde et Salvatorem exspectamus Dominum Jesum, qui transfigurabit corpus humilitatis nostrae, conforme ut fiat corpori gloriae suae secundum operationem, quo possit etiam subjicere sibi omnia (Phil. III, 20, 21). Didicisti ergo quod omnia possit sibi ipse subjicere, secundum operationem utique divinitatis.

185. Disce nunc quoniam secundum carnem omnia subjecta accipiat, sicut scriptum est: Qui operatus est in Christo, suscitans eum a mortuis, et constituens eum ad dexteram suam in coelestibus, supra omnem principatum, et potestatem, et virtutem, et dominationem, 0686B et omne nomen quod nominatur non solum in hoc saeculo, sed etiam in futuro; et omnia subjecit sub pedibus ejus (Ephes. V, 20, 21). Secundum carnem igitur ei omnia subjecta tradentur, secundum quam et a mortuis suscitatus est, et secundum animam humanam ac rationabilem subjectionem.

186. Divine plerique interpretantur quod scriptum est: Nonne Deo subjecta erit anima mea (Psal. LXI, 1)? animam dixit, non divinitatem; animam, non majestatem. Et ut sciremus quod Dominus per Prophetam de susceptione naturae est locutus humanae, addidit: Usquequo adjicietis super hominem (Ibid., 3)? secundum illud quod ait in Evangelio: Quid me quaeritis interficere hominem (Joan. VIII, 40)? Et addidit: Verumtamen pretium 0686C meum voluerunt repellere, cucurrerunt in siti, ore suo benedicebant, et corde suo maledicebant (Ps. LXI, 4). Judaei enim, reportante Juda pretium, recipere noluerunt (Matth. XXVII, 6), currentes in siti amentiae; quia spiritalis potus gratiam recusarunt.

187. Haec est pia subjectionis interpretatio. Etenim cum Dominicae passionis hoc munus sit, utique in quo passus est, in hoc erit subjectus in nobis. Quaerimus qua causa? Ut neque angeli, neque virtutes, neque altitudo, neque profundum, neque praesentia, neque futura, neque creatura alia separare nos possit a charitate Dei, quae est in Christo Jesu (Rom. VIII, 38, 39). Videmus itaque ex his quae diximus, nullam exceptam esse creaturam: sed istis, quas supra dixit, omnem, si qua est, annumeratam 0686D esse.

585 188. Simul etiam illud est considerandum, quod cum in superioribus dixerit: Quis nos separabit a charitate Christi? subter posuit: Neque mors, neque vita, nec alia creatura separare nos poterit a charitate Dei, quae est in Christo Jesu (Ibid., 35). Videmus ergo eamdem charitatem Dei esse, quae Christi est. Denique non otiose posuit charitatem Dei, quae est in Christo Jesu; ne separatam Dei et Christi intelligeres charitatem. Nihil autem est quod charitas 0687A dividat, nihil quod divinitas sempiterna non possit, nihil quod lateat veritatem, fallat justitiam, praetereat sapientiam.